


Painkiller

by GoForGoals



Category: Football RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-06
Updated: 2014-11-08
Packaged: 2018-02-24 09:02:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2575811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoForGoals/pseuds/GoForGoals
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erik sustains a severe injury and Marco finds himself standing by his side - very much to his own surprise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hurt.

Maybe it was his gaze. The gaze Erik sent him when he was carried off the pitch.

Marco was already substituted in this match because the trainer wanted to give him some recreational time. The team was lying in front with three goals, the time almost over, as Erik collided accidentally with an opponent.

Marco saw him falling, heard him screaming, watched him holding his knee.

He was worried but it was definitely Erik's gaze that made him ask the co-trainer if he could leave the bench and look after him.

The expression on Erik's face said many things at the same time. "What happened to me?" and "Why does my leg hurt so badly?" and "What are the doctors going to do with me? I'm scared."

Marco held the gaze of his teammate just for a second but this second was enough. He knew that injuries were part of their business but in Erik’s case he noticed a strange feeling in his stomach. He was concerned and he literally couldn’t keep calm.

After the co-trainer allowed him to go to the locker room, Marco took his belongings and walked inside the tunnel, into the direction of the medical room. He heard Erik groan long before he arrived at the door. Marco hesitated but then another physiotherapist rushed past him.

"Doc, you’ll have to return, Sven is injured, too. It doesn't look good."

The doctor hurried back on the pitch again, because whenever Sven, the tough guy himself, needed a doctor, it surely must be severe. But this meant that Erik was alone now.

Marco made an effort and knocked at the door of the medical room. Erik was lying on a cot and looked up surprised when he recognized Marco. He was exhausted and Marco could see the pain written on his face.

"Hey", Marco mumbled carefully, startled of Erik’s horrible state, "how are you doing?" "I'm okay", Erik tried to pretend weakly, "just something with this god damn knee." "What does 'something' mean?", Marco asked, coming nearer.

Erik's front broke when Marco was standing next to him. "I don't know. All I know is that it hurts like fucking hell”, he pressed through his teeth. "Didn't you get any painkillers?" "The doctor wanted to give me one but then he had to take care of Manni."

Marco noticed only now that Erik shivered, covered in cold sweat. He didn’t know what he could do to help him so he just took his hand instinctively. He was astounded when Erik wrapped his fingers around it and held it so tight that the skin turned white.

“Jesus, he is so brave normally he must be in deal with great pain”, Marco thought as the doctor came back.

“Manni has injured his elbow but at least he can walk. We’ll bring him to the hospital for an X-ray”, he explained. “But back to you now.”

Marco prepared himself to go – not because he wanted to leave Erik alone but because he wanted to be discreet. However, Erik sent him another beseeching gaze and grabbed his hand even tighter, if this was possible. The doctor noticed it. “You can stay”, he stated and Marco heard the implied “he needs somebody at his side” in his sentence.

The doctor pulled an infusion out of his bag while Marco watched him. He didn’t notice that he had started to caress Erik’s fingers with his thumb. “It’ll get better soon”, he mumbled. Erik winced when the needle was pricked under his skin and Marco squeezed his hand in reassurance.

“I don’t think that it is a crucial rupture”, the doctor commented after he had moved Erik’s leg into different directions, making him groan again. “But I fear that the lateral collateral ligament is affected. We’ll get an ambulance to drive you to the hospital. Is your family here?”

Erik shook his head, still holding Marco’s hand like an anchor. “Do you think he has to stay?”, Marco asked. “No. Even if he needs a surgery he can sleep at home this night if somebody drives him. Don’t worry, Erik, we’ll deal with it.”

Marco also smiled at him encouraging. Much to his own surprise he heard himself saying: “I’ll come to the hospital, I promise.” Erik looked at him with a mixture of incredulity, hope and desperation. “Really? But you don’t have to”, he murmured, “you need time for recovery after the match.”

“I’ll have a whole week to recover. And I’m keeping my promises”, Marco added, caressing Erik’s hand one final time before he let it go. He walked out of the medical room but before he turned around he said: “Take good care of him” to the doctor.

The same time Marco left, the match was over. He quickly went outside to thank the fans, then he hurried to take a shower. Afterwards, he grabbed Erik’s clothes and threw it into his bag. Mats came over to him.

“How is he doing?” “He was in great pain and they don’t know yet what’s wrong with his knee”, Marco answered, his forehead wrinkled, “I’ll drive to the hospital now.” “You do?”, Mats asked surprised. Marco nodded. “I can’t leave him alone right now. His parents aren’t here and Jonas is in Mainz. Who should be there for him?”

“I’m sure he will be glad to see you”, Mats said but Marco didn’t notice his meaningful tone. “I’ll hurry up, I don’t want to keep him waiting.”

***

Marco drove to the clinic in a speedy style. Due to his own injuries, he knew all too well where he had to go to. During the trip he questioned himself over and over again why Erik’s injury made him so anxious that nobody would have stopped him on his way to the hospital. When he arrived, it dawned on him, but he put the thoughts aside, rushing into the building.

He met the doctor in the hallway in front of the MRI room.

“He’s at the examination right now. If you want to, you can wait in my office. It’s good that you are here, he’s in a state of shock. It’s his first severe injury”, the doctor explained. Marco nodded.

He waited in the office until the doctor gave him a sign. “Come next door, we’re evaluating the MRI images right now.”

Marco followed the doctor to the next room where Erik was lying, the MRI images pinned at the wall. Erik’s eyes went wide again when he recognized Marco who showed him his crooked smile. “You’re really here”, he murmured. “Sure. As I said, I’m keeping my promises.”

He stood next to Erik and stroked over his hair quickly. “How bad is the injury?”, Marco asked. The doctor pointed at the images. “The lateral collateral ligament is torn.” “Fuck”, Erik uttered desperately. Marco squeezed his shoulder.

“We’ll fix it tomorrow in a surgery. That’s no big deal. You’ll have to stay one night at the hospital. If you want to, you can sleep at home tonight but please make sure that you’re not alone because of the painkillers you got.”

“Can I stay here?”, Erik mumbled weakly, “I don’t have anybody, my parents are on vacation, I don’t want to call them.” “It’s out of question that you’ll sleep here”, Marco objected, “I’ll stay with you.”

“I can’t accept that”, Erik said confused, feeling a circulatory failure coming closer. “You’ll have no choice”, Marco smirked, “because there is no hospital bed free at the moment, isn’t it so, doctor?”

“Eh, I’ll have to inform myself”, the doctor stammered, taken by surprise. “That’s not necessary. When should we be back tomorrow?” “At ten.” “No problem. Can you get him some crutches?” “Yes. And thank you, Marco.”

Erik looked back and forth between Marco and the doctor as if he was always one step behind the conversation. “Come on, let’s go. My car is outside”, Marco said and handed Erik the crutches. “But…”, the latter wanted to object. “Shhh”, Marco interrupted, “you should focus on walking, it’s difficult at first.”

He hasn’t spoken out his words as Erik stumbled. Marco caught his arm before he fell down. “Slowly”, he mumbled, resting his hand on Erik’s back. “We have all the time in the world.”  
  
Marco guided Erik outside, walking behind him, prepared to catch him again. When they arrived at his car, Marco opened the passenger’s door for Erik and manoeuvred him into the seat.

“Marco”, Erik started again after they left the parking lot but Marco placed a finger on his lips. “I’ll have to concentrate on driving but I think I know the direction to your flat.” Erik shook his head and stared out of the window.

The last hours flew by in his mind. Did he really injure his knee? Yes, the pain he still felt despite the painkillers told him that he was right. Did the doctor really say that he needs a surgery? Yes, he could still hear the words in his ear.

And did Marco really take care for him? Why? He turned around and faced his teammate. Marco drove through Dortmund calmly, his face not showing any emotion. Erik suddenly felt panic climbing up in his stomach. As if the fact that he has picked up a severe injury wasn’t enough – now he was so close to the man he was severely in love with.

“Marco”, he made another attempt, “I don’t want you to do this. You can drive me home and I’ll take a taxi tomorrow morning to the hospital. Please.”  
  
Marco turned around slowly. “Stop worrying, Erik. And don’t be scared. Of nothing. I won’t let you alone, do you understand?” Erik nodded confused. “But why?”

He didn’t get an answer because Marco didn’t have one for himself yet.


	2. Comfort.

Marco parked his car in front of Erik’s flat. “Thank you for driving me home”, Erik said, “but I can manage the rest alone.” He opened the door of the car and tried to climb out of it but one of his crutches fell down and under the vehicle.

Marco didn’t say a word, he just walked around the car, picked the crutch up and gave it to Erik. Erik was ashamed and looked away embarrassed. “Hey, it’s alright. Concentrate on the stairs”, Marco distracted him.  
  
Erik climbed the stairs to the entrance of his flat with difficulty, fumbled out the key and opened the door, Marco always one step behind him. “Well then, welcome to my home”, he stated powerless before he switched the lights on.

He hobbled to the couch and sank down on it, throwing his crutches onto the floor. Then he hid his face in his hands. Erik was surprised when Marco took him into his arms softly.  
  
“Listen, Erik”, he mumbled into his ear. “I feel the need to take care of you. It’s not a burden for me. Please let me help you, okay?” “Okay”, Erik answered stunned.  
  
Marco smiled at him. “Then let’s find a comfortable place for you on the couch. Do you want something to drink or eat? Or should I switch the television on?” “No”, Erik replied, finally giving up his resistance, “I just want to lie on the sofa”.

Marco placed a cushion under Erik’s knee and a blanket over his legs before he threw his shoes into a corner and joined Erik on the couch. Erik stared at the ceiling and Marco preferably wanted to caress and soothe him, but he didn’t dare.

“Are the painkillers having an effect?”, he asked. “Mhm”, Erik answered, “but they are making me sleepy.” “That’s good”, Marco answered, “sleep always helps. Should I guide you to your bedroom?”  
  
The words woke Erik up again. “I don’t know. Really Marco, you don’t have to stay, but”, he continued hastily, regarding the look on Marco’s face, “if you want to, you can sleep in the bedroom. The couch is good enough for me.”

“Are you crazy? I’ll bring you to the bedroom and help you, no discussion.” Marco stood up and let Erik limp to his bedroom first. He was stunned when he saw it. It was cosy, with a huge bed in the middle and many photos on the walls.

“Can I have a look?”, Marco asked. “Sure”, Erik replied blushing. “Are these your parents? And your sister?” Erik nodded. “You look a lot like them. And wait, haha, I know this dork. What were you doing in this photo?” “Jonas and I were slightly drunk so you better not ask”, Erik said, finally able to smile a little bit.  
  
Suddenly Marco calmed down. “Hey, this is the selfie we took with the national team.” Erik sighed, too tired to deny anything, so he just said: “Yes. It meant a lot to me.” And if Erik hadn’t been on the brink of collapsing, he would have sworn that Marco whispered: “Not only to you.”

But so he blamed it on the painkillers. He noticed that he couldn’t keep himself up any longer. Using the last of his strength, he explained Marco the way to the bathroom and where he can find another bedcloth… bedcloth… bedcloth.  
  
***  
  
Erik awoke in the middle of the night because he felt a sharp pain in his knee. It didn’t take long until the events of the last hours occurred in his brain.

He remembered that Marco has brought him home and that they walked into his bedroom but then he couldn’t recall anything. But wait – _Marco_? The understanding hit him like lightning. Was he still here? He had to hobble over to the living room to see if he was alright.

Erik tried to move his leg but he immediately groaned. He wore a splint but the effect of the painkillers definitely had faded away. Erik clenched his teeth in the desperate, urging attempt to climb out of the bed and move to the living room.

All of a sudden somebody begun to speak. “Hey, what are you doing?”, a sleepy voice sounded right next to his ear. Erik was scared to death. “Are you lying in my bed?”, he replied stupidly without understanding – and without thinking, to be honest.

“Obviously, yes”, Marco chuckled, “but seriously, it looked like you were semi-conscious. I wanted to be here if something happens. Is it okay?”, he asked. “Yes, absolutely”, Erik tried to get himself under control.  
  
His efforts were ruined when Marco laid a hand on his shoulder. “Try to sleep again, I’m right next to you.” But then he noticed that Erik’s forehead was sweaty again. He placed his hand on it, making Erik shiver.

“You are suffering again, am I right?”, Marco asked concerned, “I’ll get you some more painkillers.” Marco stood up and came back with pills and a glass of water. “Here, take this”. Erik swallowed the pills and sipped from the water, feeling that he got sleepy again.

“Marco?”, he uttered the thought that spun through his mind for a while. “Yes?” “I’m sorry that I was so childish. You know, that I grabbed your hand in the medical room and so. I feel awful about it. I should have been braver.”

“Nonsense. Did it comfort you?” “Mhm.” “Like this?”, Marco answered softly and felt for Erik’s hand again. He held it tight and Erik was immediately better. He drifted away, still considering if the pills or Marco’s touch was the better painkiller.  
  
Or maybe simply Marco himself.


	3. Love.

The next morning, Marco woke Erik up by stroking over his hair again. “Hey, the time has come”, he whispered into his ear.

Erik needed a few moments to understand who was talking to him and what he wanted to say, then he swallowed hard. He fiddled around with the bedclothes before he murmured: “Marco? Thank you for being here”. “That’s nothing. Should I help you to get dressed?”

Erik started to sweat again and this time it wasn’t because of the pain. “No. I think I can handle it alone. But do you want to go to the bathroom first?” “I already took a shower”, Marco smiled. He stood up and Erik noticed that he was fully dressed, fucking good looking as always.

“Hell, and I’m looking like a wreck”, he thought. Marco gave him his crutches and Erik hobbled to the wardrobe, pulling out boxers and a shirt. “You should pack some things for the night at the hospital, too”, Marco suggested.

“I know”, Erik sighed. “Should I do it?”, Marco asked, “you can go to the bathroom in the meantime.” Erik stared at him unbelievingly. “Yes, if you want to?” “Sure. I saw my…. eh, _your_ favourite shirt over there and the sweatpants in which you are looking so…, I mean, which are looking so comfy.”

Marco blushed a little bit and Erik wondered what has put him off his stride. He limped to the bathroom and tried to undress himself for taking a shower. When the water finally ran he was totally exhausted.

“Do you need some help?”, Marco shouted over to him after he had stopped the water again, trying to dry himself off. Erik barely managed to put his boxers on. After he finally succeeded, he was completely wasted.

“Yes. I’m capitulating”, he answered desperately. Marco found him leaning against the cold tiles of the bathroom, his whole body trembling. “Jesus, come over to the bedroom again”, Marco uttered concerned, supporting him on the way.

He dropped Erik carefully on the bed. “Take some deep breaths, I’ll assist you with the rest of your clothes. Why didn’t you ask me for help sooner?”, he added softly, pulling Erik’s trousers over his legs.

Erik didn’t answer so Marco continued instead. “What weighs on your mind?”, he asked as he tied the laces of Erik’s shoes. “Come on, we’ll pause. We still have a few minutes.”

Marco laid his arm around Erik to encourage him. This time, Erik gave in and rested his head on Marco’s shoulder. Marco was touched of his trust and vulnerability.  
  
“Let me guess”, he said, “you’re afraid of the surgery.” Erik nodded. “Don’t be. The doctors know what they are doing”, Marco calmed him, starting to stroke his hair again.

Erik was still tensed up. “But that’s not all, isn’t it? Do you want to tell me?”, Marco asked. Erik shook his head. “Erik? I’m not blind.”  
  
Erik winced and froze but Marco continued to caress him with soft, steady movements. “Hey, I told you not to be scared of anything. I mean what I say.”

Marco now stroked Erik’s cheek and for a short, perplexing moment he thought about simply kissing him, giving him solace – and, well, probably love.

Instead, he stated: “First, let’s get over with your surgery. I’ll be there afterwards. And I am not only talking about the first few hours, do you get me?”

Erik looked at him surprised but Marco didn’t say anything else, he just winked.  
  
***

Finally, Erik was dressed and they drove to the hospital together. Erik’s heart started to beat faster the closer they got to the building. “Let’s make a deal”, Marco suddenly said. “When you got through the surgery, you’ll have a free wish.”

Erik looked at him stunned but then he had a sudden clever idea. “No. _You’ll_ have a free wish because you were there for me.”  
  
Marco held his gaze as he replied quietly: “What if we both have the same wish?”

They arrived at the hospital and the answer was left unspoken– and not needed anyway. Marco helped Erik out of the car and brought him to the ward. He had to undergo some more examinations but Marco didn’t leave his side until he was shoved into the operating room.

“When they anesthetize you, imagine something beautiful”, he whispered as he said goodbye, “I’m right here waiting for you.”

Shortly before the narcosis knocked Erik out, he thought of Marco holding his hand.

***  
  
After the surgery, Erik came back to life slowly. He heard beeps around him and dozed off again. It took him a while to remember where he was and how to open his eyes.

Somewhere he localized the whispered words: “You made it. Everything is fine. Relax, I won’t go away.” Erik tried to clear his throat and answer but he was still tongue-tied. He concentrated on opening his lids and saw a blurred face.

“You promised me that I have a free wish?”, Marco said when he was sure that Erik could hear him again.

The words helped Erik to come back to senses. He felt that his whole leg was immobile but at least the pain was bearable.

Which was probably down to the fact that he felt soothing fingers firmly intertwined with his. And so he just squeezed Marco’s palm to encourage him to go on.

“I know that it’s not the best moment to ask but: Can I take you out for a date?”

Erik squeezed Marco’s hand again and finally a cawed “yes” came out of his mouth, followed by the attempt of a grin. Marco smiled satisfied and held Erik’s fingers tight.  
  
His warm hand promised Erik security. Not only for today, but for a time that has just begun.

**Author's Note:**

> The idea to this fic came from Kiwiana - thank you so much for it! XXX
> 
> Yes, I still can't stop myself from writing Erik/Marco stories. It won't get better in time. :-)
> 
> There are two more chapters to come and comments are very welcome!


End file.
